The team at CroatianSports.com breaks down Croatia’s 2-1 victory over Iceland to complete a perfect group record, discusses Argentina’s come-from-behind win to send Nigeria home and talks the Round of 16 matchup the Vatreni will have with Denmark on Sunday.
Croatia finished the World Cup group stage with three wins over Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland. They scored seven goals and only conceded once; a penalty to Iceland.
I couldn’t agree with you more Poglavnik, FOX coverage is balls!
I don’t have TSN here in the States. But at least we got CSR. I’ll watch CSR’s post game coverage of Croatia matches instead of FOX.
That FOX coverage (like all their shit) is balls!
Just a bunch of Latino’s screaming GOOOOOOOL any chance they get and then giggling like girls.
Admittedly I’ve watched about 10 minutes total of that coverage.
Cant stand it.
TSN is where it’s at. Way more professional.
^^^That’s why this CSR post game show is a breath of fresh air. As it gives great analysis and coverage on the national team.
Honestly Thank God for CSR’s post game show!!!
‘Cause I’m watching the World Cup in the States on Fox. And the broadcasters seem to be narrating everything from our opponents perspective. “Iceland has to do this…” “Argentina is not doing enough of that…” Blah, blah.
And in the postgame show they just talk about our opponents and analyze their game. Croatia gets SCANT commentary and analysis. The FACT that they completely overran and dominated Group D gets little mention….
That’s why this post game show is a breath of fresh air. As it gives great analysis and coverage on the national team.
As you all know, I like Halil and Brekalo. The only problem is they are small dudes. Like Mexico small. I din’t think their game translates to our style on the wings.
Our wings now are bigger, faster, and will kick your ass. Rebic & Perisic are more representative of the Croatian athlete. Pjaca was same way before injury.
Ya I definitely feel that Rebic or even Pjaca will be pushed to CF to make room for Halilovic, Brekalo, and Vlasic on the wings. We’ll see how soon this happens.
@ BZ
Las Palmas sucked .. before his ankle surgery he was playing with a mature intelligence.
Came back to physical form but the team was already sunk.
Serie A is BACK. The league has been on the rise the last 3-5 years. The kids will all benefit from the playing experience.
UEFA Nations League – UNL- will be an opportunity for these young studs to grow as individuals and a collective.
Core veterans lift the cup this year and go of into immortality.
Next generation comes in inspired by their example.
Curious if Rakitic wants to captain a cycle for himself?
@ Andrej
Love for Rebić to play center forward and have an Olić type rise in his mid 20’s.
We have so many young talented mids and wings that seems his natural position for us going forward.
He has the physical presence to lead the line and that finish against Argentina is an insight into his potential.
Kovač should take him over Kramaric to Bayern.
The Conspiracy is that they go out very early in the group stage and the Kladionice make large profits from previous winners going out very early in the group stage.
Good news here in Aus, SBS broadcasting the remaining games so all can watch (until just now Cro vs Den was not going to be on TV at all)
Yeah Henry was like a sub at the time believe it or not i think but i seem to remember none of their goals came from those forwards, it was mostly all midfielders and also South Africa scoring 20 own goals vs France 😉
Christoph Dugarry, and Henry who was still a winger at the time i believe.
Fill us in Anonymous.
Don’t know the doc you’re talking about.
I think the other thing about the champions curse is you feel obliged as a coach to stick with the winning team, even though it’s four years own and being objective, you should be injecting young blood.
But it’s hard to tell some old farts who won the previous WC, sorry, but your time is done so that plays a part too for sure. Fear of change to a winning formula.
Anywho, back to us, imagine how good we’ll be going if Mandzu or Krama start banging them in too? Those two must be frustrated, all these goals and all coming from midfield – even Badelj is looking like an awesome striker compared to our strikers! LOL
But, yeah, the room for improvement is a good sign.
I think we can win the whole WC with substandard strikers. Didn’t France win 98 with basically no strikers of any note at all?
Knew Slavonac was a Serb by his writing style. And no Hrvat can hate Hajduk that much. He’s probably that Turkey guy too.
@Poglavnik
Remember when Croatia was coming out to play France in ’98, you said it looked like the Croats “had seen a ghost”?
Watch what Asanovic says in that Vatreni doco!
@Conspiracy Guy
That makes no sense.
What’s the coincidence?
What’s the preferential treatment for Brazil then?
Ever notice how in ANY sport it’s hard to repeat?
It’s called having a Champions target on your back. Everyone cranks up their games to play against you.
@Mamino
Agreed about the coaches.
Even the obvious like Dalic’s subs seem more intelligent than both Kovac and Cacic’s but I still say you cant underestimate what Mamic being found guilty has done to some of his explayers whether they know it or not. It’s a new dawn with him in the clink until the next guy comes along.
It seems to me like every Italian club wants a Croatian midfielder.
Brozovic – Inter Milan
Badelj – Fiorentina
Coric – Roma
Halilovic – AC Milan
Majer – Sampdoria wanted him
Kovacic – (every Italian club seems to be interested)
Who else am I missing?
@BZ honestly might be good for him. The more established players leave due to the lack of european comp. giving an opportunity for Halilovic to get the consistent minutes he desperately needs.
AC Milan banned for one season. They are filling an appeal.
Halil goes to AC Milan after they are banned from european play for 2 years…who is this kid’s manager? his dad still?
AC Milan took Halilovic away from talks with Udinese in the last hours. Would have been cool to see him play with Balic and Perica under coach Igor Tudor.
France winner in 1998 go out in 2002 Group Stage, 2006 Winner Italy go out in 2010 Group Stage, Spain 2010 winner go out in 2014 Group Stage, 2014 Winner Germany go out in 2018 Group Stage only recently has 2002 Winner Brazil made it out of Group coincidence i think not.
I thought Pjaca looked confident on the ball and did alright so far. He does look a bit slower and maybe even heavier. Maybe lack of playing time was an issue since it looked like he was cramping up near the end. Anyone know why he came out early?
I also thought that Mandzukic looked better as a CF forward than Kramaric. Mandza just pushes the def line higher and occupies space better. He’s always there for a header or willing to hold off defenders for a lay off. I think that Krama likes to come to collect the ball too deep too often for a CF. He almost seems best suited for Modric’s number 10 role. I’d say push him to a wing but Rebic’s speed and toughness trumps he weaker dribbling and passing abilities. Rebic reminds me a lot of Olic…hopefully a better version
@ Soul Champ- Happy to see him get back into a first division team after 2 consecutive years of getting his team relegated. Unlike Mandzukic, we can’t say he is a winner…yet.
I am more interested in his potential Nations League role. Probably as a sub for instant offense. Hopefully we mesh the new with the old and win that too.
@ Adame
Halilovic to AC Milan ..
This summer just keeps on getting better!
I would have took him into the 23 man squad for us.
His time begins in August.
I wish him all the best at AC Milan and may he reach his potential for the Vatreni.
Slavonac from Canada you should concern yourself with how serbia is going given your self confessed negligible serbian ancestry. Feel free to let your inner cedo shine through with jebem ti this jebem ti that. Don’t consider this a personal attack as you did infact admit to being of part serbian ancestry. EABOD gedo from Canada.
Halilovic to ac Milan!
Also Dalić is coming up in with loads more experience then the conveyor belt of interns that actually got to Coach this level of talent.
We have had debates over importance of manager and I have deferred to the soccer playing posters .. who stated it was on the players .. BS!
At this level a real leader/tactioner is needed.
Heck even Lowe who won it doesn’t even take Leroy Sane!
Coaching decisions from squad roster to team tactics to atmosphere of training etc.. make ALL the difference.
Dalić as been equally as impressive as out top performers.
I hope he can cultivate the next generation just as well as he has coached these boys.
Let’s hope this time one of our player’s chips Kasper Schmeichel–just like Suker did to his father Peter Schmeichel. Ya know to make it, Like father like son!
It’s not Mamić.
It’s having Dalić (who is a player’s coach with very strong relationship skills) versus having Kovač (who is a wannabe German authoritarian coach).
Croatians tend to do better with the former types of coaches than the latter.
Anyone see the pregame Lovren interview on TSN yesterday?
He talked about the team atmosphere at this years WC compared to 2014’s WC and said (to paraphrase) that it was a world of difference.
I’m guessing Mamic in the slammer just lifted that cloud.
We’ve basically got all of our players playing at their max potentials which is a first that I’ve seen since ’98.
Even in 98 we didn’t have a great Boban.
I think our Road to the finals is looking to be an easy road. When we beat Denmark we will probably get Spain which is not that great anymore, We are avoiding Portugal/Uruguay France and Brazil to the final. Its never looked better this is our year !!!
We are on the easier side of the draw if u are looking at it traditionally
I think the winner of us and Spain will go to the final
our only worry is to limit eriksen; top 5 mid
Maminjo I feel like Denmark gonna try to Portugal us like in 2016
But I think we can break it
Dalic prob gonna get the boys to blitzkrieg em and if we can score a quick one they won’t be able to play Greece 04 on us
Rebic mandzukic perisic gonna break through with modric and rakitic dishing it all over
I love how rakitic has been doing the long passes
We just have so many more different varieties of breaking the bunkers then before
It’s not a guaranteed but u know 2016 is frrsh in their minds still and they know this is s second beautiful stab at true glory
I agree bout pjaca projection I have faith
Many wanted to throw rebic away but I knew he was too beastly to hold him down
Maybe kovac gonna bring some hrvati to Bayern!
I just want to see more young hrvati playing with experienced ones at club level
Back to the game we have so much to contain these days
Worry bout Mario then perisic then of course rebic
Oh forgot bout modric rakitic and who ever else is in midfield
I’m not a nogomet expert but teams can’t just double up Mario like years pass after our predictable cross game
Damn it feels good to be a Croat;)
Sunday’s game will be tricky because we won’t be counterattacking like we’ve been doing.
I think Denmark will sit back, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they went for the scoreless draw and hope Kasper Schmeichel bails them out in a penalty shootout.
nice
@BZ
I do see your point and a valid one at that. Badelj was excellent which really makes me feel better considering how many of our players are on cards. It’s quite likely one or more of our regular starters could miss the Spain game should we get past Denmark. That’s a big if. They definitely aren’t a pushover considering their last loss was in 2016.
As for the yellow card rule, everything resets after the quarter finals if I’m not mistaken, even still our depth this year is going to be key if we make a run. I truly feel the stars are aligning nicely given this side of the bracket.
I’m so pumped for Sunday’s game!! U Boj!
@ Maminjo
Book it and take it to the bank ..
Pjaca will be stronger than ever.
Juve would be making a big time mistake letting him go.
But if he needs a fresh start so be it.
Nogomet is a timing sport .. especially in the final third.
His movement is there.. he is just slightly off.
Full faith
Before the experts start regurgitating what they see in the media, take a moment to remember Modrić and his trajectory.
Back in the day some of us called Modrić world class and some other folks sanctimoniously took a crap on his stats etc …
Now everyone and their mother finally recognizes him as the best midfielder on the planet!
Jebi ga … we when this thing and they will give him the Balon Dor.
Even Rakitic is riding the respect my game wave that Luka has created for Croatia.
Perišić is next .. two footed dynamic BEAST.
Mandžukić makes every team better he plays for.
Badelj is needed by 90% of the teams I have seen at the World Cup.
Lovre Kalinic our “back up” keeper is a monster.
Bog i Hrvati
Pjaca was our sleeper superstar.
He lost that explosive step. It will take him another year to recover, if he ever does.
Marko Pjaca will make full recovery.
That Estonian fiasco was BS.
He is 23 and will come back 100%.
He just needs to get his rhythm on the pitch. Schalke loan turned sour towards the end.
No need to write his footballing eulogy.
I’ll tell you this I would take Pjaca and Rebic before SMS.
Kovačić and SMS are not even in the same conversation.
Milinkovic-Savić is an excellent player.
He just won’t be one for Serbia.
It will be a Nemanja Vidić situation all over again for them.
Kovačić has more talent in his pinky toe than SMS has in his whole body!
Are you kidding me??
All that midfield and defensive support on Serbia and SMS comes up ZERO?
Actually some of there young players were quick and Jovic has done well under Kovač.
But SMS doubling transfer fee of Kovačić ??
I am actually present to how elite our players are.
Did someone compare SMS to Zlatan?
It’s time to win this thing and fulfill our footballing destiny as a nation.
Bobby V, Milinkovic Savic flopped big time.
Regarding the size of our crowd in Russia at the games, smaller than usual? Seems like it to me. Take a look at the footage again after Badelj scores. Found 2 guys celebrating. Hope we have better support on Sunday.
I don’t know their players either Lika…this is exactly why we don’t know about them. they hardly qualify and then when they do, they flop …and it won’t surprise me if we end up hearing they had fist fights with each other or someone was murdered!
Nice to see the Croat Drmic score for Switzerland after the Albanians got all the attention last game.
@Lika Joey – agree, Milinkovic-Savic’s stock just dropped. No way Lazio is getting half of what they wanted from Real Madrid, if anything at all.
Slavonac, I never really noticed Serbian talent in this tournament.
They have some new enemies to fight endlessly with.
But these new enemies have a cool double eagle hand gesture. Tough to beat that.
@Dannyj – If we do win it, Truth/Ziva wouldn’t dare start saying anything like that for fear of sounding like us – haha
quite honestly, we shouldn’t pay a minutes attention to how Serbia is doing. they have talent but they have the backwards mentality and it will never change. still one of the highest wife-beating rates in all of Europe, they are nothing…I never saw them as a team that could do anything. when their fans come here, they do so cause they have zero…and its only because they are zero, they try to put attention on us and hope we bite.
we left them in our dust years ago, no going back to the caveman era!
Will anyone be at the Astoria Bier Garden to watch the Denmark match?
Cedo’s go home.
Turkey, must be suicidal at the moment… an incredible day for us all!
Toronto Croatia, the post of the year!!!!!
Every Serbian is wishing they could have been born Croatian right about now lol
Bobby V, we have to stay focused…remember euro? Dalic is better than Cacic…gives me hope. Our road to the cup at euro was a gift.
Agree maminjo if pjaca was playing like at euro woudl be amazing
We deserve it
For all the crap luck we have had
I could see it now
We win the World Cup
Truth fir years tells us it was a fake win
We had a tough group
We won it
To je to
Pjaca is going to be recovering for another year.
Such a shame.
Croatia’s luck continues. The brackets are going to wind up very lop-sided and we are definitely in the easier grouping of 8. I’m sure it will become s huge topic.
Heavy rumor that Kovacic is going to Napoli.
If he went back to inter would be good for us
If perisic stays for champions league
Three Croats on inter getting more champions league experience
And u never know they could get deep
Germany gone…crazy
Seriously tho look at groups G and H
If England can’t make quarters they need to stop international soccer
@Maminjo-From what I hear, Juventus looking to unload Pjaca even before the World Cup. After injury yesterday, and poorish showing, I doubt anybody crazy enough to buy him cause of injury.
Ironically, Krama doesn’t fit with our new strategy (even though his skill set is a more natural fit with our midfielders).
Dalić has changed our style of play and we’ve actually completely stopped with the whole ball-dominant horizontal play that used to drive us all insane.
Krama is actually better for that style, as he can play very well in tight spaces and create chances out of nothing. But in these recent games, we’ve had a lot of open spaces to play in and a lot of running… Which is an environment that Krama is not particularly special in (and guys like Mandžo and our Olić-clone Rebić are excellent in).
Kovačić to Juventus would be the best possible scenario for us.
Juve has the best “good to great” player development in the world. Plus, he can grow with Pjaca.
However, I can really see him going to an EPL club due to the open space for his slalom runs and the fact that they pay double the salary over Serie A. Also, he might view going to Serie A as a step back in his career.
Kramaric still hasn’t done what he is capable of doing …yet. which may actually be a good thing ..because maybe he’ll come through just at the right time when we need him most.
As for Kovacic …yes he impressed in the Iceland game. Hows this for a stat? In the 80 mins on the field he had 79 passes attempted and 79 passes completed 100% pass accuracy. (Croatia without a doubt has the best midfield in the world)
Kovacic is rumored to now being looked at by Roma, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester United, Tottenham
That’s nice.
They also only have 4% the footballing talent as well.
Bookyakasha!!!
Argentina are Hrvati’s brothers, estimated that about 4% of all Argentines have Croat blood, I have familia in Argentina, 3rd largest Croatian diaspora pop is in Argentina, only after America & Chile
@BobbyV- & Mali-
Given the importance of Rakitic’s D so far, I can see Badelj starting over Brozo. Dalic would probably ask him to be a reckless enforcer (something Rakitic & Brozo can’t do bc of their yellows.) We need Rakitic vs Spain!
@all
Spain is a yellow card magnet, opponents 9 spain 1 (Busquets)
With our tournament leading 8 yellows, I can see us playing without starters vs Spain and our semi-final match. 😉
@Maminjo-although Kramaric has struggled nobody is counting him out. With Rebic & Mandzukic sitting on yellows, Kramaric’s turn in the spotlight is coming soon. He needs to step it up in his super-sub role, and is more than capable. Wait for it…
Badelj showed us his attacking prowess that none of us knew he had with that wicked shot of the bar and then a beautiful finish.
Who knew he could do this? Whole team stepping up!
I wouldn’t count out Kramarić just yet.
He’s a good player to have out there if we dominate possession (which we likely will do against Denmark).
He’s good at weaving in those crowded areas in the box. He hasn’t been great in these group games as we have been countering a lot (and he’s a bit slow and doesn’t defend).
I can see him coming off the bench if we are dominating but cannot score.
dont be a fucking loser…be positive all of us on here..poison out positive in.Were not dore mats unless the refs fuck us in the 85th minute next game ..godbless our soccer team.
@Mali Ante
Good points and I think you’re right about Brozovic. Helps that he and Perisic played so well together for Inter and would have a better connection working together.
@Bobby V
Like the lineup but I’d put Brozovic in for Badelj. He’s been playing unbelievably well as of late…though Badelj was great today as well. What I really loved about today is that everyone got a run out. Anyone that plays going forward won’t be touching the ball for the first time. Our first choice subs got solid playing time and it’s key to have everyone ready to go at any time.
Early lineup discussion for Denmark? Same as opening match except Badelj for Kramaric. My suggestion:
Subasic – Vrsaljko, Vida, Lovren, Strinic – Badelj, Modric – Perisic, Rakitic, Rebic – Mandzukic
Although it would be hard to leave out Brozovic.
…and how incredible have our midfielders been? Playing defense, playmaking, and scoring goals.
Kvartuc, you need to get zapped every time one of my comments gets stuck in moderation.
Kurac!
W: Denmark
W: Spain
W: England
W: Brazil
2018 World Cup Champs!
I just got a chance to watch the first half, I couldn’t skip work today and I didn’t feel it was worth taking a vacation day.
I’m not sure who said it earlier but someone criticized Kovacic…and I’m really surprised! At least for this first half, he was stellar.
Look guys, up until this point we have played 2.5 games, 0 goals scored against us, we’ve already qualified for the next round…it’s important to keep a very cool head, try to maintain our edge, try to not concede a goal and keep the overall gaffe’s to a minimum. Sure, Iceland had some half chances, but their fans made a HUGE reaction to what they really were…I was maybe nervous once or twice and nothing to clear cut that I thought was a major scoring chance.
The Major difference in this game is where we are pressing…we are not pressing high and it’s allowong them to transition without much problem. When we had our first team playing, we create goal scoring chances from pressing and I haven’t seen anything even remotely close to that in this first half!
So far, so good! I’m ok with not forcing the attack and not allowing counter attacks, this is safe but good!
Caleta-Car is very impressive, Pivaric is doing well, Carli is very solid…Badelj made one mistake but is doing well…this keeper Kalinic is awesome!
Second half start in a minute…gotta go!
As hard as it is going to be, we have to forget about what we witnessed so far.
It’s a new tournament now boys. Anything can happen.